78R4484 YDB-D

By:  Madla                                                        S.B. No. 479



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the exemption of licensed practitioners of the healing 
arts from jury service.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 62.106(a), Government Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	(a)  A person qualified to serve as a petit juror may 
establish an exemption from jury service if the person:
		(1)  is over 70 years of age;                                                 
		(2)  has legal custody of a child younger than 10 years 
of age and the person's service on the jury requires leaving the 
child without adequate supervision;
		(3)  is a student of a public or private secondary 
school;                  
		(4)  is a person enrolled and in actual attendance at an 
institution of higher education;
		(5)  is an officer or an employee of the senate, the 
house of representatives, or any department, commission, board, 
office, or other agency in the legislative branch of state 
government;
		(6)  is summoned for service in a county with a 
population of at least 200,000, unless that county uses a jury plan 
under Section 62.011 and the period authorized under Section 
62.011(b)(5) exceeds two years, and the person has served as a petit 
juror in the county during the 24-month period preceding the date 
the person is to appear for jury service;
		(7)  is the primary caretaker of a person who is an 
invalid unable to care for himself; [or]
		(8)  except as provided by Subsection (b), is summoned 
for service in a county with a population of at least 250,000 and 
the person has served as a petit juror in the county during the 
three-year period preceding the date the person is to appear for 
jury service; or
		(9)  is a licensed practitioner of the healing arts,  as 
described by Section 104.003, Occupations Code.
	SECTION 2.  This Act applies only to a person summoned to 
appear for jury duty on or after the effective date of this Act.  A 
person summoned to appear for jury duty before the effective date of 
this Act is governed by the law in effect immediately before the 
effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in 
effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.